Page 52 - Historical Summaries (Persian Gulf) 1907-1953

4.G

"No stops should bo taken to enter into
closer relations with Nejd, or send Agents there,
without previous sanction of IIis Majesty's
Government."
Sir N. O'Conor, who was consulted, while S>r N. O’Conor to
recognizing the advantages of obtaining fuller IvbrVoJy"zG.'l'joi.
information as to affairs in the interior of Arabia,
held that the moment was not opportune for the
action suggested ; and to this opinion the Govern­
ment of India, after receiving the views of
Colonel Kcmball, the Resident in tho Persian
Gulf, subscribed in a despatch dated tho 21th Oorornmentof
March, 100'JL. They considered, however, that, March
in view of recent developments of tho situation,
there was reason to think that “ it may shortly
bo incumbent on us to take a more lively interest
in the affairs of Central Arabia,” and they
added that: “later, .... when tho political
situation in Nejd has developed, and above all
if tho present representative of the AVahaheo
family .... succeeds in establishing and ex­
tending his ascendancy, which from the latest
accounts received seems to be not improbable,
we think that it may be desirable again to enter
into relations with our old ally.”
Tho successes of Bin Saoud in April 1901 led Sir N- O'Conor to
* lore urn Ofljc^
the Turkish Government to send troops and guns April 2G and
to the assistance of llin ltnshid. Bin Saoud May 4, 1904.
thereupon wrote to tho Resident in the Persian 'degrnuf,
Gulf on tho 2nd May, 1901, protesting against May 20,1901.
the Turkish invasion and soliciting the protection
of Great Britain for himself and his country.
At the same time the President received from
Sheikh Mubarak of Koweit a letter addressed to
the latter by Bin Saoud, in which he hinted that,
if he failed to obtain British protection, he
might have to fall back on the Russian offer of
assistance made to him in 1903. The Govern­
ment of India, in reporting this on the 20th May,
suggested that it might become necessary to
revive the proposal to post a British Resident at
Koweit, in order to watch events, should the
Turks persist in armed intervention.
Sir iN. O’Conor had already been instructed, on Lord Unedownc
the XOtli May, 1901, to point out to the Porte to Sir N. O’CoMur,
Muy 1U, l'JO-l.
that IIis Majesty 8 Government, in the hope of
assisting to preserve tho peace, had “employed
special efforts to dissuade the Sheikh of Koweit
from taking part, even indirectly, in the hostilities
that have broken out," and to protest against
any action being taken by the Turkish Govern-

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